JTW   Fire Boy

Characters: Tangsang (T), Zhu Bajie (Z), Su Wu kong (sometimes called Brothr Ho)(Su), Sha Wu jing (S), Fire Boy (F), Mountain Deity (MD) four Dragon Kings (DK1, DK2, DK3, Dk4), Bull Demon (BD)(referred to as Old King by his son Fire Boy) Kuan Yin (KY) Guards (G1 G2) Kuan Yin aide girl, Kuan Yin aide boy

Setting: a forest, Su thinks there are demons in the forest and the cry “Help me!” is a demon trick.

F: “First I should get rid of the hairy monk.” “Help me!” “Help me!”
Su: “Who are you?”
F:  “Robbers killed all the members of my family and hung me on this tree.”
T:  “Oh! That’s a shame. Bajie, release this boy.”
Su: “Let me do it. How come this tree is so strange?  It grows in the middle of the road.”
F: “How do I know?’
Su: “They killed all your family? Why didn’t they kill you?”
F:  “Ask the robbers.”
Su: “You have been hanging there for 3 days and nights.  Why do you still have so much energy?”
F: “Oh…”
T: “Wu kong, why do you ask him so many questions?”
Z “We don’t care who put the boy there, if we take him home, his family will treat us to a big dinner.”
F: “Oh! Ouch. I can’t walk.”
T: “It doesn’t matter. You can ride with me.”
F: “No! Riding a horse is painful. I want someone to carry me.”
T: “Bajie, carry him.”
F: “No, he’s too smelly. I don’t want the man with the beard, he scares me.”
T: “Then, it would have to be me.
F: “No, I want the monkey to carry me.”
Su: “Okay, If the others carry him, I will feel uncomfortable.  You can fool the others but you can’t fool me.”
F: “So what.”
Su: “What do you intend to do?”
F: “Later you will know.”
T: “You should carry him carefully. Otherwise I will punish you 100 times.”
F: “In fact, I want your teacher.”
Su: “How dare you!”
F: “I want to get down to pee.”
Su: “Teacher, you go first. I will accompany the boy to pee.”
T: “OK. Be careful.”
F: “Shuang long gai ding” (name of a wushu move)
Su: “Is that the only one you can do to trick me?  Go away! Hey! What happened? Hey! That’s not good…Oh! Out teacher is gone.”
Z: “Our teacher was blown away by a wind.”
Su: “No, it’s not a wind.  It is a demon! It’ the boy!”
Z: “He’s too young, too little.”
S: “and too pitiful.”
Su: ”Oh! You guys! What’s wrong with you?  Until now, you still don’t believe the kid is a demon. Okay, I’ll call the mountain deity and we will see if it is true or not.”
MD: “Your majesty, How can I serve you?”
Su: “Who are you?”
MD: “I am the mountain deity here.”
Z: “You cheater. I’m good at identifying demons.”
MD: “No, No, I’m really the local deity.”
S: “Why are you dressed like that?”
MD:  “I have no choice.  This little demon always beats us so we are afraid of him. He’s powerful an he likes making fun of the mountain gods.”
Su: “Tell me quickly, who is he and where does he live? What is his background?”
MD: “He is Hong Haier.  He lives in Huo Yun (Fire Cloud cave). He’s the son of the White Bone Demon and the Bull Demon.”
Su: “I should have guessed who it was. He’s the son of the Bull demon who is one of my oldest friends.  Our teacher will be saved once I get there. I can easily get the demon to send our teacher back.”
Z: “I think we also can have a big dinner.”
Su: “Exactly! When I played with the Bull demon, Fire Boy wasn’t born yet. How could he be so disrespectful to me?”

Su: “My nephew is coming. Call me uncle.”
Z: “I’m your uncle H’s brother so you should call me uncle too!”
F: “I guess you have all been worried crazy because you have lost your teacher.”
Su: “Yes, that’s true.”
Z: “Yes, that’s true.”
Su: “Your father and I are sworn brothers.”
Z: “Yes, that’ true. I can testify to that.”
F: “If you really are my uncle, would you still have thrown me to my death?”
Su: “Oh! I didn’t know who you were then.  Didn’t you beat me on the head?”
Z: “Nobody came to any grief.”
F: “But I still insist we fight to see who is stronger.”
Su: “If we win.”
F: “I will return your teacher.”
Z: “If you win…”
F: “Your teacher will be my dinner.”
Su: “So what kind of competition shall we have?”
F: “Indian wrestling.”
Z: “You! You little boy!”
Su: “Even if I win, It won’t be an honorable thing.”
F: “No, competition. I won’t return your teacher.”
Z: “Okay. I’ll do it.  I’ve won.”
F: “I’ve won! I’ve won!”
Su: “Now me. It’s my turn.”
Z: “Be careful.”
F: “My strength comes from Mount Tai.”
Su: “My strength comes from Mount Hua.”
Z: “Brother, give more”
F: “My father’s come!”
Z: “Come on beat him.  Don’t be afraid of him, he can only play tricks.”
Su: “Be careful.”
Servants; “Our King has won!”
Su: “Let’s go back.”
S: “Where is he?”
Z: “That little demon can set fires.
S: “Oh! You guys! He can set fires, why not use water? Why not ask the dragon kings to help us?”
Su: “Yeah, that’s a good idea.  After we defeat the demon, you get first prize.”

Su: “You, four dragon kings, I greet you.  There is a demon who can set fires. He has imprisoned out teacher. I want to ask you to create a big rain to put out his fires.”
DK1: “Only when you have a problem do you think of us.”
DK2: “When the common people want us to make rain, they sacrifice pigs and cows to us and entertain us and burn incense.”
DK3: “It is a rule made by the Jade Emperor.”
Su: “What I only want is just some rain but you create difficulties.  You’re just one of the demon’s accomplices.”
DK4: “Nonsense!”
Su: “I will destroy your palace first and then I will go fight the demon.”
DK4: “ My good lord! Great Sage! Don’t be angry.  The other dragon kings don’t know that you have left the Mountain of Flowers to follow and protect Tangsang.”
DK3: “Don’t be offended. We are joking.”
DK2: “Calm down!”
DK1: “We will do it.”
Su: “Okay, if there’s still any tiny bit of sparks left, I will beat you!”
DK4: “We dare not!”
S: “Brother Ho returns.”
Z: “Where is he?”
Su: “The dragon kings are coming. You, two, just wait here. I’ll go to get the demon out of his cave.”
DK4: “Here we are!”
Su: “Demon, come out!   Where is my teacher?”
F: “He’s here.”
Su: “What! You’ve already eaten him?”
F: “If you came earlier, I would have left a bone for you.”
Su: “Teacher! I was late, I delayed.”
F: “Idiot! I tricked you.”
Su: “My teacher is okay?”
F: “His flesh is so delicious, that I won’t eat him alone. I have invited my parents to share it.”


F: “I thought Su Wu kong is very strong and powerful. In fact, he’s just a pussy cat!”
Su: “Dragon kings, rain quickly!”
F: “Idiot, the dragon kings rain cant’s put out my fires.”
DK4: “We’d better go.  The fire is very evil.”



Z: “Sha Shi! There’s something wrong with Brother Ho!”
S: “What happened to him?”
Z: “He was attacked by the demon with fire. He’s dying!”
S: “Nonsense!”
Z: “Just now the Dragon King told me and he asked us to get Brother Ho’s body from the river.”
S: “ Has the old dragon king come back?”
Z: “Why are you just standing there dumbfounded. Let’s go!”
S: “Where is the dragon king?”
Z: “He’s gone back to recover.” Do not speak too much. Run quickly! I think, he is here.”
S: “Maybe you were told wrong.”
Z: “You just do not believe me.”
S: “Look over there! I see him!”
Z: “There he is!”
S: “Brother Ho! Brother Ho! Wake up!”
Z: “How is he? It shouldn’t have happened.  He can change into 72 different forms. Come on! Let’s get the water out. Brother Ho! Brother Ho! Wake up! Brother Ho! Some steam bread is coming! Say Something! Brother Ho! Brother Ho! It’s over! I can’t do anything.”
S: “My older brother is gone!”
Z: “Think of all the things that have happened. He has defeated all the demons we have met so far on our journey to the west. Sha sang do not be so sad. He cared a lot about our teacher and us but I always quarreled with him.  I always said I’d leave the group. I feel very sorry for all the things that I did to him.”
S: “What do you think, yea, he’s very devoted to our teacher.”
Z: “It’s no use to talk about these things now He’s dead. If he can come back I would like to kowtow to him.”
Su: “You sad you would kowtow to me really? Do it now!”
Z: “I said nothing.”
S: “I heard nothing.”
Su: “I thin we should think of a way to rescue our teacher.”
S: “I thin we should ask for help from Kwan yin.”
Z: “That’s a good idea. I will go to her.”
Su: “Do you know how to find her?”
Z: “You look down on me but I was a general in heaven before. How would I not know the way?

F: “I tell you, the hairy monk was defeated by me again. He died in my fires. I’m the strongest, most powerful demon in the world.”
Servants: “Your majesty, Su Wu kong didn’t die.  He sent Zhu Bajie to get Kwan yin for help.”
F: “Asking for help from Kwan yin.”

Z: “How come I’ve come along way but I’m still in the mountains.  There is light it must be a temple. Oh! Kwan yin is here.”
KY: “Bajie, why aren’t you with Tangsang on his journey west? Why are you lingering around here?”
Z: “I’m not loitering. I’m looking for you.”
KY: “Not loitering? Tell me why are you looking for me, what do you need me for?”
Z: ”There is a demon named Fire Boy. He’s caught my teacher.”
KY: “Hasn’t the hairy monk Su Wu kong taken care of it?”
Z: “His fire is so evil that he almost burned him to death but I saved him.”
KY: “Fire Boy is the strongest in the world so why do you provoke his anger?”
Z: “Not me! It’s Brother Ho.”
KY: “Even I can not defeat Fire Boy so you can go back now and disband your group.”
Z: “Ok! I will follow your command. You are a Buddha so you are just kidding me, right? Testing me? Please think if a way to rescue my teacher.”
KY: to herself “Oh, He thinks I’m really Kwan yin.” “Okay, I will help you. Open. Go in.”
Z: “The demon has fire.”
KY: “Go in.”
S: “I’m wondering if Zhu Bajie has found Kwan yin yet? I’ll go first to check what’s happening at the cave.”

Z: “Buddha Help me!’
KY: “Change!”
Z: “I see you are the demon. You tricked me!”
Su: “Change!”
Z: “Teacher, do not despair.  Since I haven’t returned, Brother Ho will know something has happened and he will come to find us.”
T: “The door is closed tightly. How can he get in?”
 Z: “You forgot that he can change into many shapes, like spiders, flies…Look! There is a spider. It must be Brother Ho! I can identify him.”
T: “Is it really Su?”
Z: “Brother Ho, is that you? Ouch! It hurts!”
T “What happened?”
Z: “It’s not Brother Ho, it is a real poisonous spider.”
T: “Oh! You guys1”
Z: ‘Go away! I won’t fall for that trick again.”
Su: “You idiot, why beat me?”
Z: “This time it really is Brother Ho.”
Su: “Teacher, I have a way to defeat him.”
F: “Guards! Go and bring my father!”
G: “We will go to invite my father.”
F: “What!”
G: “We will go to invite our Old King.”
F: “Come to eat Tangsang’s flesh.”
G: “Come to eat Tangsang’s flesh.”
G1. “What’s that?”
G2.  “It looks like some kind of fruit.”
G1: “I saw it first.”
G2: “No. I saw it first.”
G1: “It’s mine!”
G2: ”Your majesty!”
BD: “What are you doing?”
G2:”The young king sent us to invite you to eat Tangsang’s flesh.”
BD: “I don’t want to eat Tangsang’s flesh.”
G2: “We also have Zhu Bajie.”
BD: “Oh! I’d like to eat the pig’s tail.”
F. “It’s funny.”
G1: “He’s come.”
F: “Father, it’s so interesting that I see your feet up to heaven.”
BD: “You are still so naughty, did you really catch Tansang?”
F: “Yes. I just invited you to eat Tangsang’s flesh.”
BD: “NO, we must not eat him. Set him free.”
Z: “Yeah! Yeah! Set us free.”
BD: “But the pig’s tail and ears are delicious.”
F: “Tangsang’s first student, Su almost died in one of my fires.”
 BD: “You’ve done a great wrong. That monkey can change in 72 ways. He even can change into a fly or a bee.”
F: “Father, How come today you are so afraid? Didn’t you say eating a piece of Tangsang’s flesh can give you eternal life?”
BD: “Oh, that was in the past. Now I’m a vegetarian.”
Z: “Abstaining from meat is good.”
F: “Who asked you? Who permitted you to speak?”
BD: “Anyway, I won’t let you eat Tangsang’ flesh.”
F: “Anyway, I will eat him!” to guards “Did you meet my father at home or on the road?”
Guard 1: “On the way there.”
F: “OH. I see… Father you forgot one thing!”
BD: “Oh!”
F: “You forgot to bring me a birthday gift.
BD: “Oh! I shouldn’t have.”
F: “In the past, you always gave me rabbit pie.”
BD: “That’s right I always bring you rabbit pie.”
F: “You fell into my trap. My birthday is not today and you don’t bring me any rabbit pie. You can’t fool me.”
Su: “But just now you called me affectionately.” “Change.”
F: “Even if you change into a fly, you still can’t escape.” “Change.” “Finally, you still can’t get out of my hand.”
Su: “Here I am! OK. Let’s get this over with. I need to meet a friend.”
F: “Catch him give me my spear! You cannot get away, you cheater! Stop! Stop! Help me! Help me!”
Su: “I think it is interesting enough.  Goodbye.”
F: “As soon as I sprayed fire, the wasps which Su changed into died. Now we just need to wait for the Old King to eat Tangsang’s flesh.”
Z: “Did you hear that? Brother Ho is dead.”
T: “Because he helped us.”
KY: “Wu kong, the only way to defeat or overwhelm Fire Boy is by using the water in my vase. This is also a treasure. Use the lotus as a boat to float there.”
Su: “Oh! Another treasure!  Lord Buddha is so powerful.  Look! Over there! That’s Fire Boy’s cave!”
KY: “You go and draw him out of the cave.”
Su: “Ok! Demon, come out!”
F: “Su Wu kong isn’t dead yet!”
Z: “Brother Ho is Okay!”
T: “We have hope!”
F: “Hairy monk, come on! Why are you still alive?”
Su: “I’ve 72 lives.”
 F: “But my fire can burn everything. What is this? It can put out my fire!”
Z: “The little boy will come to grief.”
F: “Nonsense! Go fill the hole! Go! …Wonderful!”
Z: “I didn’t know Brother Ho is so powerful.”
F: “Go check the Wu Di cave!”
Su: “Teacher, I’m here!”
Guards: “Your majesty, we can’t move it.
F: “Get my spear!”
Guards: “Your majesty, maybe your spear has been washed away!”
F: “Okay, it doesn’t matter. We don’t have time. Oh! It’s Kwan yin. I’m not afraid of her at all.  I don’t think Kwan yin is a coward.  She is so skillful that she’s left the throne.  It’s not fragrant at all. Let me try her throne. Release me! Let me go!”
Su: “It’s interesting now.”
F: “It’s none of your business.”
Z: “The little demon doesn’t regret is evil ways even when he’s caught. Let me kill him.”
KY: “No.  The little boy is too stubborn. Let me teach him. Maybe he has future promise. Are you willing to repent of all the evil things you have done and be a good person?”
F: “No! I won’t! I hate you.”
T: “Child, it’s a good chance to change your life.”
F: “No, I do no want anyone to control and teach me. I like being a demon. I can be totally free. Oh! I can’t bear it any more. I admit I am wrong. I won’t eat Tangsang.”
T: “Not eat Tangsang but not be a demon and follow the teachings of the Buddha to a new life.”
Z: “This little boy finally gets good.”
Su: “He’s my nephew, of course. He has a bright future.”
F: “They want me to change. It’s impossible. Release me!  Okay. My good Buddha, I won’t so evil again.  Good! I can move now.”
KY aide girl: “Now you are free. You will forget the way you were before but don’t forget it all so you won’t do evil again.”
F: “Have you ever seen common children’s toys? Look!”
KY aide boy: “what is this? It is so cute!”
F: “Take it. I give it to you”
Boy: “Thanks.”
F: “I give this one to you.”
Girl: “thanks.”
F: “Go! I won’t listen to you. I will kill you! Set me free1”
Z: “He recovers.”
F: “Now I know how powerful you are. I dare not do evil things anymore.”
KY: “From now on you can follow me and I’ll give you a new name –Sansai tongse.”
S: “That boy is really lovely.”
Z: “I think he is still evil, later he will become a demon again.”
Su: “That’s impossible. I only have one ring and I dare not do bad.  He has five!”

Translated by Zhang Yan and Dr. Mori June, 2003
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